In An Instance
by amysaurus567
Summary: The Hunger Games from Peetas Point Of View. What was going on in Peetas life before the games? Where was he? What was he thinking? This is where To find out! In a way. Originally a school assignment. :3


The Reaping: Peeta's POV.

I wake up, drenched in sweat. Not from a nightmare, but from the heat. The same way I have woken for the past sixteen years. I sit up and run my hands over my face, up and through my hair. Honestly, I do not know what my father was thinking when he first built our home. Sure, he saved money by not buying a second lot. However, a home with a bakery right above? The heat from the ovens down stairs is too much to deal with at times. Especially during the late summer seasons.

I swing my legs over the side of the bed that I share with my brother. He's still asleep, in fact all three of my brothers are. They obviously have a higher tolerance for the heat. As if on que they all snore in unison. Besides the sweet smelling temperature, how can they sleep knowing that today is the day known as 'Reaping Day.' I am surprised I got any sleep at all.

I look around the room at each of my brothers. Sean, who is the oldest of all the Mellark sons, lays on his back sprawled across the double bed. His breaths are slow and even. This will be his last year of having his name in the pot. Over the years, each of our names have gone in multiple times; Sean has the most. Living in district twelve is rough. Each person here is on the brim of starvation. Being part of a family who is owners of a bakery makes it worse. Half of our food supplies goes to the bakery, as well as the extra we get for owning a food establishment. When Sean first turned twelve, our parents had no choice but to ask for extra grains, and beans in exchange for his name in the reaping bowl twice. Being from a bakers family, we do get extra food supplies, and baking ingredients. However, after everything has been baked to sell, our supplies for food is anything but there.

It's then that I realize that Astro isn't in the bed with Sean. I can't help but snicker when I find him, on the ground, using his arms as a pillow. Sean moves around a lot, which means tough luck for Astro whom he shares a bed with.

I look over my shoulder at Jonah, the youngest of us, who is curled in a protective ball at the foot of our bed looking innocent as ever. This is his second year for Reaping. Giving him a large number of 4 names in the bowl. I watch as he shifts his body around, looking for a comfortable spot. I doubt he's slept a full hour.

Then there's me, Peeta Mellark. The youngest of the middle children at only 16. As for the amount of slips of paper that supply my name, well, Even though Astro is older than me, my name is in there almost as much as Sean. I took it upon myself to sign up for tesserae at least twice a year, alongside Sean, and sometimes Astro since I turned 14.  
Luckily for my brothers and I, most of the people that live in the seam have had their name entered up to fifty times or more, which puts the odds further in our favour. Not that I've ever considered myself as the four leaf clover. So that kind of knowledge doesn't make me feel much better.  
I decide that now is as best time as any to get the day started. I stand up and quietly shuffle my way over to the clothes door dedicated to me. I pull out a white tank top, along with clean underwear and socks. I head towards the washroom downstairs, where my work pants are. As I descend each step I can't help but think about what my parents were actually thinking. Why would they decide on having so many kids, when they knew that they could lose them in an instant? Especially knowing that each one will most likely grow up to be a weak baker boy, who can't do squat than decorate a cake?

Then again, my father needs the help with the bakery and small farm we known. Maybe that's why, maybe it was for labour, not love? I shake my head. Which ever the case, it doesn't matter, My father cares for us, and my mother is miserable. What more could I expect?  
I open the washroom door and pull down my work pants that are caked in mud. It's my job to feed the few animals we have, to clean up the shack and collect the eggs that we may or may not have from the two chickens Astro found wandering the roads.

I pull on my pants then head out to the kitchen area. There, I am met with the sweet smell of cinnamon rolls, and fresh bread. Reaping day or not, I can't help but smile at the smell and sight of my mother happy as can be as she kneads the next batch of bread dough.  
"Good morning, mother." I say as I enter the bakery kitchen. My mother turns to me and frowns.

"Ah, Peeta. Always the first awake. If you're looking for your father he's out trading what ever he may have, for who knows what." All the happiness of the morning, in that short moment, is gone. I don't understand she is so angry when around her family.  
I decide not to comment on her small talk because it usually ends with me getting smacked for my trouble. Instead I walk past her to the back door where my boots are waiting for me.

Once I step outside, I am met with the hill of the mornings crisp air. The tasks to the pigs, sheep and chickens doesn't take long. So I decide to kill some time and go for a short walk throughout district 12. I start up our road, by passing a couple familiar faces, which I wave and say hello. We live just outside of the town, so it's not long till I'm wound into the rush of everyone.

Most shops aren't open yet, since it is just past 6 in the morning. The only place I'm certain is up and running is the hob. I can hear the hustle and bustle of everyone trying to sell to each other, the closer I get.  
At the same time I reach the hob, is miraculously the same time she arrives. I run up and hide behind a post that holds the cover from the rain. I watch as Katniss walks into the centre of the hob, pushing past everyone, not thinking about it, just doing. In her hand she holds three squirrels and a bird of some sort. Dead of course. I find myself smirking at the memory of how my father always talks proudly of Katniss. How excellent her shots are, and how sweet and caring she is.  
I feel a stir in my chest at the thought of Katniss. Not one day has gone by that I haven't thought about her. As weird as it seems, I am sure I know more about her than I do my own mother. However, I'm certain that does not go both ways. I'd be surprised if she even knew my name.  
The good feelings I have for her, does not help with the sad knowledge I have that her name has definitely been entered into the reaping ball more times than mine and Jonah's put together girl. She, and many others are the reason why I have a better chance at slipping through the capitols grasp for at least one more year.

I search the crowd for Katniss once more. She has made her way through each stand, selling all her animals now. I watch as she goes towards a well known jewlers stand. She glances over each thing, but stops and picks something up. I'm not sure what it is, but she seems to appreciate the jewler for it.

I'm back home now. My walk was cut short when I saw Gale go up to Katniss, taking her with him as they left the hob. I know that there is something going on between them. It hurts bad. I guess that's just my luck though.

All three of my brothers, and myself are getting ready for the reaping. My parents are downstairs, selling as much baked goods as they can before everyone leaves for the ceremony.

It's my turn in the washroom. We go by age, so I am always third. Sean and Astro have already left for the Justice building, where the reaping will take place. I go into the washroom and quickly change into my nice clothes, and brush my blonde hair. After I'm done Jonah goes to change. I decide to wait for him since he is still new to this whole ordeal.  
By the time Jonah is ready, dad has closed up shop and he and mother have changed into their better clothes. The four of us leave the bakery and head towards the Justice building, along with every other citizen of district 12.

The sign in process didn't take as long as it can get. Before I knew it, my brothers and I were lined up in our apporopriate age lines. Our parents in the back with all the other adults. I look around me and see Katniss and her younger sister Prim walking in. They seperate to go to their age groups, after Prim hugs Katniss one last time.  
Once everyone is settled, the cereomy begins. Effie Trinket comes out, and says her speal. It's the same speech each year, so I don't necessarily listen. Instead I'm watching Katniss once more. She turns around and looks towards the boys. For a moment I think she is looking at me, until I notice Gale two rows behind me smiling and laughing with Katniss.  
I sigh, it is not fair.

At the end of the Capitol Video, it is time to pick this years tributes. Effie begins with the girls, as always. I don't have much time to think in the next moments. The whole event goes by so fast.  
Her name rings out over the crowd. Not Katniss, but her sister, Primrose Everdeen. I feel my heart sink into my worn down shoes.  
I lose all sense of thought or feeling – unable to move as I see Katniss grab her sister from the Peacekeepers and yell out, holding Primrose tightly behind her.

"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!"

Of course she would. I don't think there's many who would willingly let someone as small and sweet as Prim go into The Hunger Games. Before I know it, the silent of the crowd is filled with Prim's screams. Katniss gets up on stage, and aswers the few questions Effie has for her. I can't help but stare at her beautiful face – feeling any hope that I had for the future dissolve in her eyes. I follow suit as District 12 sends her off with three fingers to our lips before raising them in her direction and then Effie is clicking her heals over to the boys reaping ball.  
I cannot believe that this is happening. Of all things, this is what the day has brought.

Effie leaves Katniss to stare speechless into the crowd. She doesn't miss a beat – plucking the first piece of paper her fingers touch from the ball and unfolding it quickly. Effie gives a dramatic pause before parting her purple lips and saying, with a smile:

Peeta Mellark.

A/N this is it! I wrote this for part of my novel study for school. Assignment was to write a scene in your book from another characters POV. So naturally i chose Peeta's :3

i hope you enjoyed ^_^ review if you'd like, lovelies 3


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